


That Comes Nightly

by straightforwardly



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Extra Treat, Gen, Partial Fusion, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-28 03:49:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5076679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straightforwardly/pseuds/straightforwardly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>The man turned to them, and Merrill let out a soft gasp. Golden eyes gleamed under ridged brows— a wide-set mouth, filled with bloodied fangs—</i>
</p><p><i></i>Demon, <i>Isabela thought, though it was unlike any other demon she’d seen, and gritted her teeth.</i></p><p>(Or, the one in which Merrill and Isabela run into a Buffy-esque vampire.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Comes Nightly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiraMira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraMira/gifts).



> MiraMira, the moment I saw your throwaway comment about making Kirkwall even _worse_ by throwing Buffy-style vampires into the mix, I knew that I absolutely had to treat you. I hope you enjoy this!

The door to the Hanged Man fell shut behind them, abruptly cutting off the flow of sound from the common room and casting the streets before them in shadow.

Isabela stretched, enjoying the quiet burn of alcohol in her limbs. “Well, kitten,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “Ready to head on home?”

Merrill didn’t move. She simply stood there, her arms crossed, and her mouth pursed in a vaguely sulky expression. “I don’t need a minder,” she said. “I can find the way home by myself. It isn’t that far.”

“Oh, I know,” said Isabela easily. “But Varric was _so_ insistent, and you don’t want me disappointing Varric, do you? He’ll never let me touch his chest hair if I do.”

Merrill relaxed a little, at that. “Oh— all right.” She smiled, a quick burst of mischievousness. “If it’s for Varric’s _chest hair_ —”

Isabela swung an arm over her shoulder, laughing as they turned in the direction of the alienage. “I _knew_ you’d understand, kitten.”

Merrill said nothing more, though she was still smiling. They walked on, the streets of Lowtown stretched out before them, half-cast in moonlight. Isabela kept an idle eye on the dark corners, ever-aware of the daggers hanging from her back.

They’d not gotten further than a few streets down when Merrill halted in her tracks. Isabela turned to see why.

Merrill was peering into the shadows of a neglected side-street with an air of concern. “Is that man…biting her?”

Isabela gave a snort of laughter. “Lucky her,” she said, the amusement rolling easily off of her tongue. She leaned forward, squinting into the shadows to get a better view—

At the sound of her voice, the man pulled away. The woman’s body slid from his grasp, and crumpled to the ground.

Isabela’s amusement died.

The man turned to them, and Merrill let out a soft gasp. Golden eyes gleamed under ridged brows— a wide-set mouth, filled with bloodied fangs—

 _Demon_ , Isabela thought, though it was unlike any other demon she’d seen, and gritted her teeth. How did she always get mixed up in these things? 

Before either of them could even say a word, the demon _moved_.

Isabela danced back, her daggers already in her hands and her eyes searching for an opening. Merrill clutched at her staff, earth racing over her skin— just as the creature crashed into her, its fangs catching against the stone over her neck. 

_There—_

Isabela raced forward, her blades sinking into the meat of his back. 

The creature didn’t even pause. It lashed out with a snarl, her daggers tearing out of its flesh as it threw her back into the air. She slammed against the wall, crumpling to the ground with a sharp, wet gasp.

“Ooo,” she said, laughing between gritted teeth. She pulled herself back up, pain arching down her spine, and grinned. “You’re going to pay for that.”

“I’d like to see you try,” the creature rasped, its grin a parody of her own.

She launched herself back into the fight in earnest, working in tandem with Merrill. The creature was strong, and quicker than either of them; even working together, they could scarcely keep it at bay. Neither Isabela’s daggers nor Merrill’s magic seemed to have much effect on it; any blows they landed gave it pause, but didn’t truly seem to harm it. 

_What_ is _this thing?_

Isabela skidded back across the stone after another failed blow. On the other side of the demon, Merrill was panting. Her armor had long vanished; her face was pale and strained. She had to be almost out of mana, if she wasn’t completely spent already. 

And neither of them had any more lyrium potions. 

They’d need to end this soon, then. Isabela settled into a loose stance, adjusting her grip on her daggers as she prepared to strike. 

But the demon moved faster. It leapt into the air— towards _Merrill_ —

Isabela dashed forward—

Merrill twisted her hands, fear straining her face as she raised her staff into the air before her—

—and the demon fell upon it, the sharp end sliding into its chest like butter. 

It burst apart in a cloud of dust. 

Isabela skidded to a halt. Her gaze met Merrill’s briefly; the surprise she saw there reflected her own. For a long moment, neither of them moved, as they stared at the pile of ash before them. 

Finally, Isabela lowered her daggers. “...Well, that’s one way to kill a demon,” she said, with the ghost of a laugh. 

Merrill frowned at that. “A demon?”

Isabela shrugged. “Super-strong, with a face like that and a taste for blood? I’m no expert, but sounds like a demon to me.”

“Well, yes. But—” Merrill hesitated. “I’ve never met a demon like that before. It didn’t feel like the Fade.”

Isabela looked at her— then groaned, as the realization settled over her. If this was something _Merrill_ was unfamiliar with— Merrill, who was not only a skilled mage, but who actively _sought out_ demons, then—

“...Hawke’s going to want to know about this, isn’t she.”


End file.
